The White Flowering Dogwood, Cornus Florida, is the ”aristocrat” of flowering trees because it is breathtakingly beautiful with its white blossoms.

The White Flowering Dogwood has an excellent show of white blossoms in spring, and bright red berries in fall and winter. It is planted as a specimen, near a patio, or in groupings.

It is a low branching tree that spreads horizontally and has a semi-rounded top. Does best in sun to part shade. This deciduous tree does best in well-drained acid soil with sufficient organic matter. Mulch to maintain a cool, moist soil. Needs summer water.

The White Flowering Dogwood is one of the showiest native trees. The flowers unfold from the round, conspicuous, gray winter flower buds before the leaves come out. The white or pink flower bracts are showy and often thought to be the petals of the flower. They open in May.

The fruit is a bright scarlet, relished by birds, squirrels, and other animals, which often eat the fruit before it colors and matures, usually between September and November. The wood is hard, heavy, strong, very close-grained, and brown to red in color.